Fenders are used on all kinds of watercraft to protect the hull and/or deck from damage caused by collisions, such as collisions with a dock or another boat when the watercraft is at rest. Some fenders are permanently installed on the watercraft. Usually, however, the fenders are only deployed when needed.
A personal watercraft (PWC) is typically provided with two fenders that are kept in the storage compartment of the PWC until needed. Prior to arriving at a dock, the fenders are taken out and installed along the side facing the dock, usually one in the front portion and one at the rear portion of the PWC. When the PWC leaves the dock, the fenders are removed and once again stowed away.
On a boat or larger watercraft, fenders are typically suspended over the side of the hull from a railing or another structure. A rope or strap is commonly used to attach the fender to the structure from which it is suspended.
On the other hand, the options for attaching fenders to smaller watercraft, such as a PWC, are limited because of their compact dimensions and construction. For PWCs in particular, fenders are sometimes tied to a ski eye at the vessel's rear. In the front portion of a PWC, a fender is sometimes retained by closing the hatch down on a strap or rope attached to the fender. U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,729, issued Feb. 8, 2000, describes a fender for a PWC having a flex region that allows it to conform to either the front portion or the rear portion of the hull. The fender described therein is provided with a suction cup and/or a securing line for attachment to the PWC. The fender is hooked under the joint between the hull and the deck and extended over the top of the gunnel (also called gunwale) to the inside of the PWC where it is attached by the suction cup and/or securing line to the inside wall of the gunnel.
Fenders that are not attached securely tend to detach and sometimes fall into the water and float away, thus requiring replacement and leading to inconvenience and expense for the riders. It would therefore be desirable to have fenders that can be easily, reliably and securely attached to a small watercraft, such as a PWC.
Some fenders are shaped to conform to the exterior surface of a particular PWC and are therefore not usable with other PWCs. It would be desirable to have versatile fenders that can be used with a wide range of PWCs.